A Generous King
by imthepunchlord
Summary: The villainous Cat King has a soft spot for the Dupain-Cheng family.


**I woke from a dream about this scene and had to write it out. This is set before Like Father, Like Daughter.**

 **For those that don't know, the setting resolves around single mom Marinette, and the villainous Chat Sith, who does not own a miraculous.**

* * *

Marinette would like to think that after five years of parenthood, she'd be at least a little bit more grounded in her life, and thus, could actually make it to places on time. More specifically, making it to her _daughter's play_ on time. Or just make it to everything Louis related, she could be late for all other things, but Louis she had to be there for and she was _not making it_.

With a five year well practiced restraint on swearing, the closest Marinette could let out as she raced to the park was "Fffffffffffffff."

But she reaching the frustrated point of muttering, "Fudgenuckers," over and over and over again.

And that was a dangerous point to be at.

But perhaps not so, there! There was the park! It was lit for the play! She was going to make it! She was going to be there to see her baby be a star! She-

She came too late.

The twenty two year old made a strangled sound as she looked over the gathered crowd desperately. They were all so tightly packed, and Marinette unfortunately had received her Maman's short height in the gene pool, so had no way of seeing over all those heads.

...Was she desperate enough to abuse the strength she did inherit from her Papa?

It was a good maybe.

But should only be a last resort.

The last thing she wanted was to go upsetting someone on Louis' big day.

With a determined frown, Marinette took a few steps back, looking over the crowd and area, trying to calculate some way she could slip closer, get past the crowd with the least amount of bother. Maybe if she races at that tree, she could-

"You look like your hatching a devious plot."

Marinette jumped, whipping around to find Cat King Chat Sith standing behind her, peering down with his lucid green eyes. She took a surprised step back, earning an amused smile from the villain. He spares a glance at the crowd. He guessed, "Has to do with that?"

"That's none of your business," she said sharply. "You should leave." There was no way she was letting a villain hang around here, with the children's play happening so close. She even did a quick look around, searching for his skeletal minions. If he had this place surrounded, Marinette didn't know what she'd do-

Something hard and small rubbed against her leg, jerking her gaze down to see a small, undead skeletal cat pressing against her calf. Empty eyes turned up to her and the little cat gave a greeting chirp. Marientte gently pushed the undead cat away from herself.

Chat voiced, drawing her attention back to him and away from the undead minion. "I'm curious, so it is my business."

The undead cat came back, pressing against her leg and vibrating with a purr.

"Well it's nothing that'll interest you," Marinette insisted, once again pushing the minion away.

This time, the undead cat jumped into her arms, mewing as it turned to peer up at her, a bony smile on it's face.

Marinette shoots it a frown.

What was with these things and coming at her and Louis all the time?!

Chat, largely ignoring this struggle between Marinette and the bony cat, declared, "I'll decide what interests me." He narrows his eyes at the crowd. "So what is this?"

Sighing as the undead cat persisted to stay in her arms, she grumbled out, "It's a children's play. Louis is one of the lead roles."

Chat's ears perked at the name, making the Cat King hum. "The little pest is in this?"

Marinette shoots him a glare. "My daughter is not a pest!"

"Well she's not following you around and getting into trouble," the villain grumbled.

She sighed, relenting and letting the cat stay in her arms. At this rate, the struggle was going to tear her jacket. "I know," she huffed, "I've talked to her about that, but she takes after her Papa a lot, and he had this stupid habit of following danger because he was curious and excited and always gave me such a scare and-"

"Papa?"

Marinette blinked, looking up to see Chat's curious gaze locked on her, then he spared a glance behind her, searching. With a bite that surprised Marinette, the Cat King spat, "No Papa coming to see his own daughter's play?"

Defensive, she stated firmly, "He'd come if he could."

"An absent father," Chat harrumphed, unimpressed. "I've always hated absent fathers." he didn't know why he did, but he did. He hated any parent that decided their work was more important than their kid. If he saw any parent doing that, they got the worst haunting in their life-

"He's dead Chat Sith."

The Cat King gave a start, turning to her in surprise.

"Dead?" the villain repeated dumbly.

"Yes dead," she repeated lowly, shooting him a tired glare. When the undead cat nudged her, Marinette didn't mind reaching over, running her hand along the bony back. Then shaking her head, with an adjustment on the skeleton cat, she set it down on the ground and moved towards the crowd, trying to find some way to get closer.

She was determined to not let Louis go through the same neglect that Adrien went through, his father missing every important event for him.

Adrien would make sure his daughter would never go through that.

Marinette wouldn't either.

And she could secure that if she could find a way to get there…

Marinette squeaked in surprise when a strong arm wrapped around her middle, tugging her close to a firm chest. "If all you needed was to get close," Chat Sith whispered in her ear, "all you had to do was ask."

Before Marinette could even utter a single protest, Chat jumped up, easily making it to a tree above and worked his way over the crowd, not minding Marinette's tight grip on his arm as they went. His minion followed easily, a bony ghost shadowing them.

Chat stopped at a tree that was right above the play, and that's where he settled them, keeping Marinette close and secure with his arm around her shoulders, a perfect view for them both. The undead cat happily plopped down in Marinette's lap, purring. The single mother shoots the villain a surprised look, which he ignored, searching the stage for the small girl. A little touched and a little curious, the mother decided not to make a comment, and turned to the stage, trying to catch up onto what was happening.

Chat was just starting to wonder where Louis was when he had learned he had settled them down just in time to see Louis burst forth onto the stage, loudly declaring, "Fear not Great King! I, Prince William, shall save the beautiful Princess from the savage dragon!"

Marinette could hear the surprise in the villain's voice. "She's got quite a flare." The dirty blonde girl just summoned attention to her, her smile charming, eyes as bright as candles.

With an amused smile, Marinette echoed, "She takes after her father."

Chat Sith simply in agreement, unable to tear his gaze away from the girl, watching her dive into her role of prince, a spark of energy that came with enjoyment of it.

The villain couldn't quite explain the spark of pride and wonder he felt watching this child wow the crowd.

He was glad to follow his curiosity this day.

* * *

Louis moved slowly among the crowd, searching for her Maman among them. Louis frowned, wondering just where she was. Maman said she'd make it…

Where was she?

Louis frowned.

Did Maman not make it?

The five year old pouted, drooping a little. She missed the play…

The girl squealed as she was grabbed from behind and lifted up, twirled around with the sound of her mother's laugh sounding around them. "Maman!" Louis cried with her own giggles, gripping her mother's arm as the woman held her close, nuzzling her. "You made it!"

"You were amazing!" Marinette proclaimed, peppering Louis' cheek with kisses. She drew away, giving her daughter a pout. "Course I made it! You think I'd miss my own daughter play?"

"Well Madame Mary," Louis started.

Marinette cut her off. "Madame Mary can get over it. I'm not going to slave away and miss my own daughter's play. She's got plenty of other employees to bully."

And Marinette was getting tired of having employer lock on her to bully.

Pushing thoughts of Madame Mary away, Marinette praised instead, "You were absolutely amazing Sweetie."

"I think Ambrose could give me a run for my money," Louis commented with a pout.

"Oh I don't know," Marinette replied, bouncing Louis a little as they started to trail home. "He didn't seem too into acting as you were."

Ambrose was more of an artist than an actor.

Marinette suspected he was only doing this because his grandfather adored plays.

She did expect Ambrose Bourgeois to continue acting for long.

Louis hummed, considering her Maman's words, though gave a slight start when she heard soft clicks beside them. She looked over her mother's shoulder, blinking at the small, skeleton cat trailing them.

With a happy, excited gasp, Louis squirmed out of her mother's arms and dropped down before the undead cat, opening her arms for it.

With a chirp, the cat jumped forward, contently lounging in the child's arms, much to Louis' glee.

She's been wanting one of these from Chat Sith since he first appeared.

Since he first saved her.

Marinette stared down as Louis turned to her with a pleading beam.

"Louis," Marinette started.

"Monsieur Martin's not going to be allergic to this cat!" Louis reasoned. That was the biggest no Marinette had for getting a pet. Their landlord was allergic to fur.

But a skeleton cat didn't have fur.

"And she doesn't need to eat!" Louis added, "and no litter box!"

The undead cat chirped.

Marinette ran a hand over her head, sweeping aside her bangs with a frown. She was surprised that Chat Sith left that cat behind. He was always so set on keeping his minions close to himself. And yet here was this cat, away from him and in her daughter's arms.

It had to be left behind intentionally.

Meaning it was likely going to follow them away.

"Pleeeeease," Louis pleaded.

"If Monsieur Martin discovers it," Marinette warned.

"He won't!" Louis promised.

The undead cat backed it with an earnest mew.

Marinette relented with a sigh. "Alright, alright. It's probably going to follow us home anyway. Just, let's try to keep that cat hidden."

Louis gave a mirthful nod, walking beside her Maman and accepting her jacket, covering the bony cat from view, rolling possible names around for this little.

Set on a high roof, Chat Sith watched them go, debating if he had made a good idea with this.

Only to shake his head, pushing his doubt away. It was done. And he liked that family enough to willing give up one of his spies, to let the little ghoul watch over them.

Besides, Chat reasoned, it'd be good to have a spy be even more hidden from sight.

She would never suspect one of his cats to hide away within a family's home.

But, Chat Sith himself didn't like being one short a pride with him. Especially since he's on his own here, and no doubt she'd be coming to hunt him soon.

Sensing his readiness to prowl, a small group of skeleton cats crept out, rubbings against him, chirping as they looked out. They were ready to go when he was.

Chat Sith smiled, turning his gaze towards Paris' zoo.

Maybe it was time to enlist some larger, fiercer cats into his pride.


End file.
